Genus · Gesneriaceae
Streptocarpus
3 species tracked in Horta’s catalog, and the named cultivars growers keep. Walk down to a species for its full care record, or into a cultivar for its traits and provenance.
Species in this genus
The ones growers meet most — each links to its own page.
Streptocarpus saxorum
False African Violet
Streptocarpus saxorum is a semisucculent perennial from rocky habitats in Kenya and Tanzania, where its fleshy leaves store moisture and its roots grow in fast-draining, gritty footing. Give it bright indirect light out of harsh direct sun, and let the top inch of mix dry before watering, since the succulent tissue rots if kept wet. A loose, free-draining mix and ordinary household humidity suit its nature.
Saintpaulia ionantha
African-violet
A low-growing East African lithophyte from shaded, rocky outcrops in Kenya and Tanzania, with soft, fuzzy leaves that hold moisture poorly and dislike sitting wet. Give it bright indirect light, never direct sun, and water when the top inch of mix is dry, ideally from below to keep water off the foliage. Warmth and steady but light moisture suit it; let it approach dry between waterings rather than staying soggy.
Streptocarpus ionanthus
African Violet
Better known as the African violet, this is a lithophyte from the shaded rocky outcrops and forest floors of coastal Kenya and Tanzania, so it wants warmth, gentle bright indirect light, and steady but not soggy moisture. Water when the top inch of mix is just dry, taking care to keep water off the fuzzy leaves to avoid spotting and crown rot. Its roots sit in thin pockets of grit and leaf litter in the wild, so a fast-draining mix and emptied saucer matter more than frequent watering.
About the genus
A genus-level overview — shared traits, history, the botany that ties these plants together — is on its way. For now, the species and cultivars above and below carry the genus.
Kept true by its growers
Streptocarpus keeps evolving — species move, cultivars appear, IDs get corrected. If you can place an unplaced plant or add a species we’re missing, the whole genus gets truer.
Overview derived from 3 tracked species · the contribute flow arrives with the next slice.